If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

5/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Touzi

Hi,

This weeks convoluted story requires a bit of history ... of how the Soto Lineage almost died out, but was "held in trust" by a Rinzai Lineage master for a generation.

You see, Dayang Jingxuan (942-1027), then the sole holder of the Soto (in Chinese, Caodong) Lineage, had several Dharma Heirs to succeed him, but they all died. When it looked like Dayang was about to die too, thus ending the Soto Lineage, he "entrusted" it to a Rinzai master, his friend Fushan Fayuan, asking him to hold the Soto Lineage "in trust", and find an heir for Dayang after Dayang's death! Fushan found Touzi Yiqing (this week's master in our books) to inherit from the now deceased Dayang. The result is that Touzi Yiqing is listed as a dharma heir of Dayang Jingxuan, the prior holder of the Caodong (Soto) lineage, although the two never met. Instead, the real transmission was said to come from Fushan Fayuan in Dayang's name.

This was a little bit of an embarrassment for later heirs of Touzi, because the Lineage skipped a beat here because Touzi never actually met Dayang! Some people at the time questioned the later heir's legitimacy because of all this.

Is that clear as mud!? :shock:

But as our opening Koan this week suggests ...

"Yuanjian put his hand over his mouth."

... when faced with little family questions, children born out of wedlock and such skeletons in the closet, often it is best just to keep one's mouth shut! 8)

This week's readings also touch on some of the difference/sameness between Rinzai and Soto practice which, back in those days, really was not so different (the "Koan Introspection" method of Zazen was not invented until several centuries after Touzi ... although well before the time of Keizan.)

Re: 5/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Touzi

It kinda of reminds me of the Jukai done here at Treeleaf. Physically I have never met Jundo or Taigu, yet we receive teachings, precepts and guidance from them daily.

In the end no one transits anything to anyone. If it happened that way it would be like a thief charging someone money to have their stuff returned. When we realize mind, we are returning back to the circle that passed the teachings on to Shakyamuni and down. as a special transmission outside the scriptures, all the bowing and transmission ceremonies, are children playing in the sandbox.

Re: 5/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Touzi

I didn't read it. Apologies.

It's also good to remember, there is still a monastery here in China which practices both Rinzai and Soto. It's actually, the place where Dogen studied with Rujing. Both traditions come from the same place. Later variations are just a refinement or expansion. Kind of like how most techniques or schools refine them selves over time. I guess you could say they were rough, and finding direction. Not that they are not "Zen" or either is better then the other, just refinement. The main difference was the teachers style.

Re: 5/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Touzi

When a prospector finds the mother lode of gold does anyone ask, or really care, if he uncovered it with a pick or shovel? Soto Zen is here now uncovering Original Mind. Lineage can be a subject for historians if they so choose but why sacrifice the precious moment for it? Gassho, Shogen

Re: 5/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Touzi

A very selfless story that seems so very zen. By that I mean, would a Jew do this for a Catholic? Would a Catholic do this for a Lutheran? Seems unlikely, but a Rinzai doing it for a Soto, sure, why not? At least back then, Today, maybe not, but one would certainly hope so.

I read Keizan before I read this thread, so I was surprised to see the silencing story repeat itself, then Hixon explained why. Repetition can be a very powerful thing. In this case it powerfully drove home for me the space between idea that I mentioned in the last chapter and the idea of what is this transmission process anyway? As Hixon closes:
Will the transmission be broken?
Soto moon never sets!
We are all face to face!

Re: 5/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Touzi

Okay, Jundo, I've been thinking about this (always dangerous) and have come up with a wacky but timely scenario. Here goes: The beginning of the end of world is today, as has been widely publicized, and all Christians will be called up to heaven in the Rapture. So the Christian "lineage" dies out then, right? Who would be there to step in and save it/restart it/resume it/preserve it in the remaining five months? Jews for Jesus, of course! So we all get converted and God has to hit the reset button on the end of the world. It's all good.

Re: 5/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Touzi

Originally Posted by AlanLa

Okay, Jundo, I've been thinking about this (always dangerous) and have come up with a wacky but timely scenario. Here goes: The beginning of the end of world is today, as has been widely publicized, and all Christians will be called up to heaven in the Rapture. So the Christian "lineage" dies out then, right? Who would be there to step in and save it/restart it/resume it/preserve it in the remaining five months? Jews for Jesus, of course! So we all get converted and God has to hit the reset button on the end of the world. It's all good.

Thank you
Good night
:mrgreen:

This touches on the edge of being politically INcorrect, also it may offend some people. But, I have to admit, it is pretty funny. And, what is Zen without eliminating limited point of views and stereotypes?

Talking about the end of the World. Is it over yet? If the world has ended it feels good to me. Actually, I am glad that I have not been abducted to heavens, because I much prefer to stay GROUNDED.

Re: 5/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Touzi

By the way,

my parrot like quotations again.

From Hixon:

"If you cannot say reality is anything at all, how can you say it is silence?"

"Both singing and keeping still, Keizan Zenji offers his closing poem this morning: 'Only birds can fly over the sharp sword mountains against the dawn sky. Who can walk along a sharp line edge?' Yet when the birds reach the peaks, they find not a sharp line but a vast landscape, range after mountain range, covered with pine trees, filled with rushing streams. When someone actually reach the realmless realm - not speech, not silence - this sword edge provides plenty of space to walk comfortably. Even to dance and run in all directions."

From Cleary:

"The truth is beyond written words - how can it be made the subject of a lecture?"

"Yuantong then took his staff and went into the hall, where he saw Touzi sleeping. He hit the seat and scolded him. 'I have no extra rice here to give you so you can just eat and sleep.' Touzi said, 'What would you have me do?' Yuantong said, 'Why don't you ask about Zen?' Touzi said, 'Fine food is not for a satisfied man to eat.' Yuantong said, "What about the fact that many people do not agree with you?' Touzi said, 'Waht would be the use of waiting for them to agree?' Yuan tong said 'Who have you seen?' Touzi said, "Fushan." Yuantong said, "I had marveled at such stubborn laziness,' and they both laughed."